Abrasive stair tread edge molding



May 27, 1958 F. HOBBS 2,835,937

ABRASIVE S TAIR TREAD'EDGE MOLDING Filed April 5. 13954 HOBBS INVENTOR. BY W FRANK United States Patent ABRASIVE STAIR TREAD anon MOLDING Frank Hobbs, Seattle, Wash, assignor to Colotrym Company, Seattle, Wash., a corporation of Washington Application April 5, 1f954, Serial No. 421,013

4 Claims. (Cl. 20-79) My invention relates to extruded metal moldings and more particularly to an abrasive stair tread edge molding. Briefly, the molding includes a flanged body having a tread section secured to the stair tread in bordering relation to the nosing edge of the tread and carrying, as the high point of the molding, an abrasive surface.

The exposed or nosing edge of a stair tread suffers more wearing action than most other wooden members in a house and it is desirable to protect this edge, or to cover it when the edge becomes Worn. Furthermore, accidents can be prevented by having a gripping surface bordering this edge as many accidents occur because of slipping on stairs. Any cap molding for the exposed tread edge that does not provide such gripping surface is dangerous. As this molding is at the maximum point of wear on the stairs, it should be sturdy, provision should be made for renewal of the gripping surface and other portions should be wear resistant,

The objects of my invention include, therefore: to devise a metal molding to cap the nosing edge of a stairs,

of economical, sturdy and attractive construction; to provide an abrasive surface in such metal molding positioned to prevent slipping on the molding; and to provide for replacement of the abrasive surface as the same becomes worn.

My invention will be best understood, together with further objectives and advantages thereof, from a reading of the following description, read with reference to the drawings, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, of an embodiment of my molding together with adjacent stair tread members;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the molding on enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is a perspective fragmentary view of the removable abrasive strip for the molding; and

Figure 4 is an end View of the molding.

The art of extruding metal molding is well developed and the present molding is preferably formed by that process. Aluminum is a suitable metal.

Figure 1 shows the orientation of molding to the stair tread 12 and the riser 14. Tread 12 has an exposed nosing edge 16 and molding 10 has a lip-like flange 18 protecting nosing 16 and providing a wear-resistant, attractive finishing edge to the assembly.

Molding 10 has a tread section 20 secured on the upper surface of tread 12 in bordering relation to nosing edge 16 by screws 22 extending through openings 24 in the rear portion 26 of tread section 20. The rear edge 28 of the molding is preferably beveled to form an overhanging wall securing the oppositely beveled forward edge of tiles 30 covering tread 12.

Tread section 20 has a concave-convex ridge 42 intermediate forward portion and rear portion 26, extending from end to end of the tread. The concave lower surface of ridge 42 is supported by a pair of buttress walls 44 depending to'abut the upper surface of stair tread 12.

The upper convex surface of ridge 42 is covered by a formable or flexible strip of abrasive material 50 bonded thereto preferably by having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 51 on the under surface, whereby the strip may be replaced when the abrasive upper surface is worn. Forward and rear portion 40, 26 of tread section 20, have oppositely directed, finger-like flanges 52 and 54 respectively, presenting oppositely-directed grooves 56 and 58 in which the side edges of strip 50 are positioned. It will be noted from Figure 4 that the crest of abrasive strip 50 forms the high point of the molding and that the exposed abrasive material has considerable lateral extent.

The strip 50 comprises a tape or web 50, relatively long and narrow, having hard, sharp abrasive granules or particles 53 firmly bonded to the upper surface. The

under surface of web 50 is coated with a peelable or stripable adhesive material 51. v

' The molding may be easily installed and will accommodate slight variations in dimensions as long as the forward edge of tile 30. is straight and generally accurately positioned. Screws 22 often will be positioned in line with riser 14, although this is not necessary, forming particularly good securing of the molding. The exposed metal parts of the molding of course are wear-resistant and the abrasive surface can be easily replaced.

It is believed that it will be clearly apparent from the above description and the disclosure in the drawings that the invention comprehends a novel construction of an abrasive stair tread edge molding.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. A molding for the exposed edge portion of a stair tread, comprising: a flanged body having a tread section to be secured on the upper surface of a stair tread in bordering relation to the nosing edge of the tread; the upper surface of said tread section having a convex ridge, intermediate forward and rearward portions thereof, extending from end to end; said forward and rear portions of the tread section each having a flange integral therewith directed toward the opposite portion in overlying spaced apart parallel relation to the adjacent marginal portions of said convex ridge forming facing U-shaped grooves at the edges of the convex ridge, the crest of said convex ridge being disposed substantially co-planar with the upper faces of said flanges; and a thin strip of non resilient tape positioned on and conforming to said convex ridge with its side edges wholly disposed in said grooves, said tape strip having an upper abrasive surface the crest of which is exposed in anti-skid relation to said flanged body and forming the high point of the molding.

2. A molding for the exposed edge portion of a stair tread, comprising: a flanged body having a tread section to be secured on the upper surface of astair tread in bordering relation to the nosing edge of the tread and having a lip section depending from the forward edge of the tread section and to cover the exposed nosing edge; said tread section having a concave-convex ridge, intermediate forward and rear portions thereof, extending from end to end; said concave surface being disposed on the under side of said tread section and having an intermediate buttress wall extending longitudinally of the molding and depending from the concave surface to abut the top surface of a stair tread in supporting relation to said concave-convex ridge; the forward and rear portions of the tread section each having an oppositely directed, finger-like flange extending in overlying parallel relation to marginal portions of said convex ridge to thereby form a U-shaped groove open in the direction of the convex ridge at each edge thereof, the crest of said convex ridge being disposed substantially co-planar with. the upper faces of said flanges; and a removable strip of thin, nonresilient tape sheet positioned on and conforming to said Patented May 27,- 1958 3 T V convex ridge with its side edges wholly positioned in said U-shapedgrooves, said tape strip havinga pressure-sensitive undercoating bonded to said convex surface and having an exposed upper abrasive surface at the crest of said ridge'in' anthskid relation to the forwardiand'rearportions of said'flange'd' body and forming the high point of the molding. V i

3. A molding for the exposed edge portion of a stair tread; comprising: a flangedbody having'a tread section to be secured on the upper surface. of a stair tread in bordering relation to the nosing edge of the tread; the upper surface of said tread section having aconvex ridge having-a crest disposed intermediate. of andv co-planar with forward and rearward portions of said tread section and having its lower marginal edges disposed beneath the upper surfaces of the said adjacent forward and rearward portions of the tread section; a thin strip of non-resilient tape positioned on and conforming, to said convex ridge and, having, an upper abrasive surface the crest of which is exposed in anti-skid'relation to saidflange body forming.

the high point of the molding and having its marginal edges disposed wholly beneath the upper surfaces of the adjacent forward and rearward portions of the tread section; and means integral with said body overlying the margins of said abrasive surface to conceal the same.

4. The molding structure according to claim 3 in which the strip of material having an upper abrasive surface is removably bonded to said; convex ridge by pressure sensitive adhesive means disposed between the under surface of said: stripandthe upper surface of the convex ridge.

References Cited in the file of this' patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 973,346 Davis Oct. 18, 1910 1,675,198 Scott June 26, 1928 1,936,224 Awbrey Nov. 21, 1933 2,030,730 Wilson Feb. 11, 1936 2,288,470 Lorraine June 30, 1942 OTHER REFERENCDES Wooster. Safety Treads, pages 3 and 4, types.7'l and 49,. December, 1951. 

